Antifriction eccentric journaling mounting for rotatable member



May 30, 1961 c, 5 E 2,986,086

ANTIFRICTION ECCENTRIC JOURNALING MOUNTING FOR ROTATABLE MEMBER Original Filed Feb. 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2.

INVENTOR. Carl 0. Siebke 4 ATTORNEYS.

C. O. SIEBKE CCENTR May 30, 1961 2,986,086 .ANTIFRICTION E IC JOURNALING MOUNTING FOR ROTATABLE MEMBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb. 27, 1959 e 8 mm m n m 72 MM 7 United States P tfi o ANTIFRICTION ECCENTRIC J OURNALING MOUNTING FOR ROTATABLE MEMBER Carl 0. Siebke, Allison Park, Pa., assignor to Miller Printing Machinery (10., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Continuation of application Ser. No. 795,989, Feb. 27, 1959. This application Feb. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 11,580

Claims. (Cl. 101-218) This invention relates to an antifriction eccentric journaling mounting for a rotatable member providing for easy eccentric adjustment or shifting of the rotatable member while at the same time insuring unprecedentedly rigid support and accuracy of positioning of the rotatable member, the rotatable member being rotatable with the application of minimal power in all adjusted positions and while being shifted from one position to another. This application is a continuation of my copending application Serial No. 795,989, filed February 27, 1959, now abandoned.

While my invention has many applications it has especial utility in the press field and for purposes of explanation and illustration will be described as embodied in an offset printing press in relation to the mounting of the blanket cylinder. An ofiset printing press, as well known to those skilled in the art, has a plate cylinder and an impression cylinder rotatable about fixed axes and a blanket cylinder rotatable about an axis which is shifted during operation of the press so that at times the blanket cylinder is in contact with the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder and at other times the blanket cylinder is out of contact with the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder. The plate cylinder and the blanket cylinder are equipped with bearers as well known to those skilled in the art, which bearers accurately position the plate cylinder and blanket cylinder in relation to each other when they are on pressure during printing. The impression cylinder has no bearers and its only contact with the blanket cylinder is through the printing area.

The impression cylinder has a gap which contains sheet gripper mechanism and some additional unused space. When that gap is directly opposite the blanket cylinder there is no contact between the bodies of the impression cylinder and the blanket cylinder. As soon as the printing area of the impression cylinder contacts the body of the blanket cylinder the pressure required for printing produces a force which tends to move the blanket cylinder away from the impression cylinder. If the blanket cylinder is moved by that force a smudge will be produced at the point of contact between the blanket cylinder and the plate cylinder at the time of such movement of the blanket cylinder which produces a defect or streak in the printing. Hence it is very important to minimize the clearance in the blanket cylinder bearings; the optimum condition is complete absence of clearance in the blanket cylinder bearings so that the blanket cylinder will not move under the pressure applied by the impression cylinder during printin While the problem of eliminating movement of the blanket cylinder due to the pressure thereagainst of the impression cylinder during printing has long been recognized those skilled in the art have not heretofore found an adequate practical solution to the problem. I have solved the problem by the utilization of a particular antifriction eccentric journaling mounting for the blanket cylinder whereby all clearance in the blanket cylinder bearings may be eliminated and if desired the bearings may be preloaded. My novel antifriction eccentric journaling 2,986,086 Patented M y 9 mounting may also be utilized to advantage in other appli-' cations.

-I provide an antifriction eccentric journaling mounting 1 for a rotatable member comprising a mounting member a first outside circular bearing race in the mounting memher, a first circular series of antifriction bearing elements Within and in rolling relationship to the first outside circular bearing race, an intremediate annular member hav ments Within and in rolling relationship to the second outside circular bearing race, a rotatable member, a second inside circular bearing race carried by the rotatable member within and in rolling relationship to the second circular series of antifricton bearing elements, at least one of each of said pairs of outside and inside bearing races comprising coaxial race members arranged side by side hav ing respectively surface portions inclined toward each other for engagement with the cooperating circular series of antifriction bearing elements, and means for moving axially relatively to each other the respective coaxial race members to eliminate clearance in the bearings, the intermediate annular member being turnable in the first circular series of antifriction bearing elements and thereby displacing the rotatable member transversely of its axis without disturbing the rotatability of the rotatable member in the second circular series of antifriction bearing elements. I preferably provide means for pressing toward each other the respective coaxial race members to eliminate clearance in the bearings. I preferably provide a spacing member between the coaxial race members of each pair of such members to limit the movement thereof toward each other and thus control the extent of preloading of the bearings.

Preferably in my antifriction eccentric journaling mouning for a rotatable member each of the first outside circular bearing race and the second inside circular bearing race comprises coaxial race members arranged side by side having respectively surface portions inclined toward each other for engagement with the cooperating circular series of antifriction bearing elements, the antifriction eccentric journaling mounting having means for moving mounted for turning movement and the first outside cir-' cular bearing race is essentrically disposed in the mount ing member so that upon turning of the mounting member the first outside circular bearing race and all of the elements of the structure mounted thereon are displaced transversely of the axis of the rotatable member.

More specifically, I provide a structure comprising rotatable cylinders adapted at times to be in contact with each other and at other times to be spaced apart, fixed bearing means for journaling at least one of the cylinders for rotation about a fixed axis, a mounting member, a first outside circular bearing race in the mounting member, a first circular series of antifriction bearing elements within and in rolling relationship to the first outside circular bearing race, an intermediate annular member having a first inside circular bearing race Within and in rolling relationship to the first circular series of antifriction bearing elements, the intermediate annular member having at its radially inward face a second outside circular bearing race eccentric to the first inside circular bearing race, a second circular series of antifriction bearing elements within and in rolling relationship to the second essence outside circular bearing race, a second inside circular bearing race carried by another of the cylinders Within and in rolling relationship to the second circular series of antifriction bearing elements, at least one of each of said pairs of outside and inside bearing races comprising coaxial race members arranged side by side having respectively surface portions inclined towardeach other for engagement with the cooperating circular series of antifriction bearing elements, and means for moving axially relatively to each other the respective coaxial race members to eliminate clearance in the bearings, the intermediate annular member being turnable in the first circular series of antifriction bearing elements and thereby displacing the cylinder carried thereby transversely of its axis between a position in contact with at least one other cylinder and a position out of contact therewith without disturbing the rotatability of the last mentioned cylinder in the second circular series of antifriction bearing elements.

Still more specifically, I provide a press having a plate cylinder and an impression cylinder mounted to rotate about fixed axes and a rotatably mounted blanket cylinder adapted at times to be in contact with the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder and at other times to be out of contact with the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder, a mounting member, a first outside circular bearing race in the mounting member, a first circular series of antifriction bearing elements within and in rolling relationship to the first outside circular bearing race, an intermediate annular member having a first inside circular bearing race within and in rolling relationship to the first circular series of antifriction bearing elements, the intermediate annular member having at its radially inward face a second outside circular bearing race eccentric to the first inside circular bearing race, a second circular series of antifriction bearing elements within and in rolling relationship to the second outside circular bearing race, a second inside circular bearing race carried by the blanket cylinder within and in rolling relationship to the second circular series of antifriction bearing elements, at:

least one of each of said pairs of outside and inside hearing races comprising coaxial race members arranged side by side having respectively surface portions inclined toward each other for engagement with the cooperating circular series of antifriction bearing elements, and means for moving axially relatively, to each other the respective coaxial race members to eliminate clearancein thebenrings, the intermediate annular member being turnable in the first circular series of antifriction bearing elements and thereby displacing the blanket cylinder transversely-of its axis between a position in contact with the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder and a position out of contact with the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder without disturbing the rotatability of the blanket cylinder in the second circular series of antifriction bearing elements.

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of a present preferred embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a present preferred embodiment of the invention in which Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevational view with portions cut away of an antifriction eccentric journaling mounting for a rotatable member shown as constitutinga blanket cylinder of an offset printing press; and

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross'sectional view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown diagrammatically and fragmentarily an offset printing press having a side frame designated generally by reference numeral 2. It is to be understood at the outset that the press has opposed side frames which insofar as the structure with which I am presently dealing is concerned may be deemed to be identical except that; Only,

one. will be a right and the other will be a left. one of the side frames is shown in Figure 2 and the de- 4 a scription will be. confined thereto, it being understoodthat the opposite ends of the cylinders are similarly mounted in the other side frame and that the press has driving means as well known to those skilled in the art.

The side frame 2 is provided with a circular opening 3 in the face of which are lubricant ducts 4 to which lubricant may be fed through a duct 5, the ducts 4- and 5 being shown in Figure 2 but not in Figure l. The center of the circular opening 3 is shown at C in Figure 1. Mounted in the circular opening 3 and adapted to be rotatably adjusted therein is a sleeve or mounting member 6 having an outer circular periphery 7 and an inner circular periphery 8, such peripheries being eccentric to each other. The center of the outer circular periphery 7 of the sleeve 6 is of course the same as that of the circular opening 3 of the side frame 2 and is shown at C in Figure l. The center of the inner circular periphery 8 of the sleeve 6 is shown at C in Figure l. Mounted in the inner circular periphery 8 of the sleeve 6 is a first outside circular bearing race 9. The bearing race 9 comprises coaxial race members 10 arranged side by side as shown in Figure 2 each of 'ng shape and having an inclined antifriction bearing element receiving surface portion or groove 11. The opposed race members 10 are spaced apart by a spacing ring 12. The bearing race 9 is maintained in place in the sleeve 6 by holding ring 13 fastened to the sleeve 6 by screws 14.

A first circularseries of antifriction bearing elements 15 is provided, such bearing elements desirably being mounted in a cage as well known to those skilled in the art and being disposed in rolling relationship to the bearing race 9 as shown in Figure 2. The bearing elements 15 are of the roller type and the bearing structure may be of the general character of bearings manufactured by the Timken Roller; Bearing Company; The rollers,15 may be cylindrical or slightly tapered. As shown in Figure 2 they are arranged to two opposed circumferential sets as is customary inbearings of the type shown.

Mounted within the first circular series of antifriction bearing elements 15 is an intermediate annular member 16 having an outer circular periphery 17 constituting a first inside circular bearing race within and in rolling relationship to the rolls 15 and an inner circular periphery 18 eccentric to the outer periphery 17. Both the outer periphery 17 and the inner periphery 18 of the intermediate member 16 are of generally convex shape as shown in Figure 2 adapting them to cooperate with sets of bearing rollers, The center of the outer circular periphery 17 of the intermediate annular member 16 is of course the same as that of the inner circular periphery 8 of the sleeve 6 and is shown at C in Figure l. The center of the inner circular periphery 18 of the intermediate annular member 16 is shown at C in Figure 1. A- second circular series of antifriction bearing elements or rollers 19 is disposed within and in rolling relationship to the inner periphery 18 of the intermediate annular member 16 as clearly shown in Figure 2. An, inner bearing race 20 consttiuting a second inside circular bearing race is disposed within and receives the rollers 19, the bearing race 20 being mounted upon the neck 21 of the blanket cylinder 22 whose axis is at C The bearing race 20 is similar to the bearing race 9 and has a spacing ring 12a similar to the spacing ring 12 and is; held in place on the neck 21 of the blanket cylinder 22 by a holding ring 23 threaded onto the neck through the agency of threads 24.

An arm 25 is fastened to the intermediate annular member 16 by screws 26 and is for the purpose of turning the intermediate annular member 16 through a small angle designated A in Figure 1, the press having suitable meanslconnectedwith the outer end 27 of the arm 25 to cause itto shift the intermediate annular member 16 in proper timed relationship to the other elements;

of the press upon operation. Turning of the intermediate annular member 16through the angle A shifts the blanket cylinder 22 between the position shown in solid:

u.) lines in Figure l in which it is in contact with the'plate cylinder 28 and the impression cylinder 29 diagrammatically illustrated in Figure l or on pressure in the language of the printer and with its axis at C and the position shown in dotted lines in Figure l in which it is out of contact with the plate cylinder 28 and the impression cylinder 29 off pressure in the language of the printer and with its axis at C The plate cylinder 28 and the impression cylinder 29 are indicated 7 purely diagrammatically as they may be of conventional construction and conventionally mounted and operated as known to those skilled in the art. I

Other types of antifriction bearings may be employed,

such, for example, as ball bearings. The provision of the antifriction bearings insures rigid mounting of the blanket cylinder at all times which is essential to high quality printing yet at the same time provides for easy shifting of the blanket cylinder between on pressure" and ofi pressure positions.

. The sleeve 6 may be turned in the side frame 2 to slightly adjust the operative position of the blanket cylinder 22 relative to the impression cylinder 29 in accordance with the thickness of the material being operated upon in the press. This may be accomplished through an arm 30 integral or connected with the sleeve 6.

The rings 13 and 23 not only hold in place the bearing races 9 and 20 but also are adapted to press the respective coaxial race members of those bearing races toward each other to eliminate clearance in the bearings. By sufficient turning up of the screws 14 and the holding ring 23 any desired pressure may be exerted so that all clearance can be eliminated from the bearings, and indeed the bearings may be preloaded, i.e., placed under stress beyond the point at which all clearance is eliminated. By proper selection of the width of the spacing rings 12 and 12a the extent of compression or preloading of the bearings may be automatically determined. The spacing rings are not essential and may be omitted, although they are very useful in automatically controlling the extent of preloading of the bearings since when spacing rings of selected width are utilized and the screws 14 and the holding ring 23 are turned up tight the extent of compression or preloading of the bearings is automatically determined.

While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An antifriction eccentric journaling mounting for a rotatable member comprising a mounting member, a first outside circular bearing race in the mounting member, a first circular series of antifriction bearing elements within and in rolling relationship to the first outside circular bearing race, an intermediate annular member having a first inside circular bearing race within and in rolling relationship to the first circular series of antifriction bearing elements, the intermediate annular member having at its radially inward face a second outside circular bearing race eccentric to the first inside circular bearing race, a second circular series of antifriction bearing elements within and in rolling relationship to the second outside circular bearing race, a rotatable member, a second inside circular bearing race carried by the rotatable member within and in rolling relationship to the second circular series of antifriction bearing elements, at least one of each of said pairs of outside and inside bearing races comprising coaxial race members arranged side by side having respectively surface portions inclined toward each other for engagement with the cooperating circular series of antifriction bearing elements, and means for moving axially relatively to each other the respective coaxial race members to eliminate clearance in the bearings, the intermediate annular member being turnable in the first circular series of anti- 6 friction bearing elements and-thereby displacing the tatable member transversely of its axis without disturb-'. ing the rotatability of the rotatable member in the secondcircular series of antifriction bearing elements. I

2. An antifriction eccentric journaling mounting for a rotatable member as claimed in claim 1 having means. for pressing toward each other the respective coaxial race members to eliminate clearance in the bearings.

3. An antifriction eccentric journaling mounting fora rotatable member as claimed in claim 1 having means for pressing toward each other the respective coaxial race members to eliminate clearance in the bearings and having a spacing member between the coaxial race members of each pair of such members to limit the movement thereof toward each other and thus control the extent of preloading of the bearings.

4. An antifriction eccentric journaling mounting for a rotatable member as claimed in claim 1 in which each of the first outside circular bearing race and the second inside circular bearing race comprises coaxial race mem: bers arranged side by side having respectively surface portions inclined toward each other for engagement with the cooperating circular series of antifriction bearing elements, the antifriction eccentric journaling mounting having means for moving axially relatively to each other the respective coaxial race members of the first outside circular bearing race and the second inside circular bearing race.

5. An antifriction eccentric journaling mounting for a rotatable member as claimed in claiml in which the mounting member is mounted for turning movement and the first outside circular bearing race is eccentrically disposed in the mounting member so that upon turning of the mounting member the first outside circular bearing race and all of the elements of the structure mounted therein are displaced transversely of the axis of the rotatable member.

6. A structure comprising rotatable cylinders adapted at times to be in contact with each other and at other times to be spaced apart, fixed bearing means for journaling at least one of the cylinders for rotation about a fixed axis, a mounting member, a first outside circular bearing race in the mounting member, a first circular series of antifriction bearing elements Within and in rolling relationship to the first outside circular bearing race, an intermediate annular member having a first inside circular bearing race within and in rolling relationship to the first circular series of antifiriction bearing elements, the intermediate annular member having at its radially inward face a second outside circular bearing race eccentric to the first inside circular bearing race, a second circular series of antifriction bearing elements within and in rolling relationship to the second outside circular bearing race, a second inside circular bearing race carried by another of the cylinders within and in rolling relationship to the second circular series of antifriction bearing elements, at least one of each of said pairs of outside and inside bearing races comprising coaxial race members arranged side by side having respectively surface portions inclined toward each other for engagement with the cooperating circular series of antifriction bearing elements, and means for moving axially relatively to each other the respective coaxial race members to eliminate clearance in the bearings, the intermediate annular member being turnable in the first circular series of antifriction bearing elements and thereby displacing the cylinder carried thereby transversely of its axis between a position in contact with at least one other cylinder and a position out of contact therewith Without disturbing the rotability of the last mentioned cylinder in the second circular series of antifriction bearing elements.

7. A press having a plate cylinder and an impression cylinder mounted to rotate about fixed axes and a rotatably mounted blanket cylinder adapted at times to be in contact with the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder 7 and at other times to be out of contact with the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder, a mounting memher, a first outside circular bearing race in the mounting member, a first circular series of antifriction bearing elements within and in rolling relationship to the first out side circular bearing race, an intermediate annular member having a first inside circular bearing race within and in rolling relationship to the first circular series of antifriction bearing elements, the intermediate annular member having at its radially inward face a second o'utside circular bearing race eccentric to the first inside circular bearing race, a second circular series of antifriction bearing elements within and in rolling relationship to the second outside circular bearing race, a second inside circular bearing race carried by the blanket cylinder within and in rolling relationship to the second circular series of antifriction bearing elements, at least one of each of said pairs of outside and inside bearing races comprising coaxial race members arranged side by side having respectively surface portions inclined toward each other for engagement with the cooperating circular series of antifriction bearing elements, and means for moving axially relatively to each other the respective coaxial race members to eliminate clearance in the bearings, the intermediate annular member being turnable in the first circular series of antifriction bearing elements and thereby displacing the blanket cylinder transversely of its axis between aposition in contact with the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder and a position out of contact with 8 the plate cylinder and the impression cylinder without disturbing the rotatability of the blanket cylinder in the second circular series of antifriction bearing elements.

8. A press as claimed in claim 7 having means for pressing toward each other the respective coaxial race members to eliminate clearance in the bearings.

9. A press as claimed in claim 7 having means for pressing toward each other the respective coaxial race members to eliminate clearance in the bearings and having a spacing member between the coaxial race members of each pair of such members to limit the movement thereof toward each other and thus control the extent of preloading of the bearings.

10. A press as claimed in claim 7 in which each of the first outside circular bearing race and the second inside circular bearing race comprises coaxial race members arranged side by side having respectively surface portions inclined toward each other for engagement with the cooperating circular series of antifriction bearing elements, the press having means for moving axially relatively to each other the respective coaxial race members of the first outside circular bearing race and the second inside circular bearing race.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,972,840 Graf Sept. 4, 1934 2,578,700 Harrold et al. Dec. 18, 1951 1,689,524 Wood Sept. 21, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CGRRECTION Patent No. 2,986,086 May 30 1961 Carl 0; Sieloke It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 4, after "member", second occurrence, insert a comma; line 8, for "intremediate" read intermediate same column 2;, line 52, for "essentrically" read eccentrically column 4 line 57 for "consttiuting" read constituting Y Signediand sealed this l'rt h'da of October 1961,

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 

